Pune: Man Arrested for Poaching Protected Wildlife; Dead Civet Cat and Soft-shell Turtle Seized
Pune, 23rd February 2026: In a strict crackdown on illegal wildlife poaching, the Junnar Forest Department arrested a 39-year-old man on Sunday for allegedly hunting a Civet cat (Udmanjar) and a soft-shell turtle (Mau Pathiche Kasav). Both animals are highly protected species under Indian wildlife laws.
The accused has been identified as Lakshman Sakharam Pawar, a resident of Dudhadewadi Ghotawade in the Raigad district.
The Raid and Seizure
According to forest officials, the Range Forest Officer (RFO) of Shirur received a tip-off on February 22, 2026, that a suspect was attempting to flee after illegally hunting a Civet cat. Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the RFO and subordinate staff laid a trap and successfully apprehended Pawar.
During the raid, authorities recovered the carcasses of the poached Civet cat and the soft-shell turtle from his possession. The forest department also confiscated the hunting equipment used by the accused to commit the crime.
Following the seizure, an official case (Crime No. V.Pr. 02/2026) was registered at the Shikrapur Round under Sections 9, 39, and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The accused was produced before the First Class Judicial Magistrate in Shirur today, February 23, 2026. Considering the gravity of the offense, the honorable court remanded Pawar to two days of forest department custody.
Strict Penalties for Schedule-1 Poaching
Forest officials highlighted that both the Civet cat and the soft-shell turtle are listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, granting them the highest level of legal protection in India.
Hunting these species is a cognizable and non-bailable offense. If convicted, the accused faces severe penalties, including a prison sentence of up to 7 years and a fine of up to ₹25,000. The department has issued a stern warning that strict legal action will be taken against anyone found participating in such illicit activities.
Authorities believe that Pawar may not have acted alone. An active search is currently underway to identify and apprehend other accomplices involved in this wildlife smuggling and poaching ring. Further investigation is being spearheaded by the Shirur Range Forest Officer.
The successful operation was executed under the guidance of Ashish Thakare (Conservator of Forests, Pune Circle) and Prashant Khade (Deputy Conservator of Forests, Junnar). The ground team was led by Smita Rajhans (Assistant Conservator of Forests, Junnar) and Nilkanth Gavhane (RFO, Shirur), alongside Forester Gauri Hingane (Shikrapur), Forest Guards Pramod Patil, Sopan Anasune, Narayan Rathod, Ganesh Jhirpe, Jalindar Sanap, and other staff members of the Shirur Forest Range Office.
